Open back brake

A sheet bending brake assembly comprising:

• a base with first and second ends, the base having a top surface and a channel formed therein;
• an anvil supported at a vertically spaced distance from said base and aligned with said base between said first and second ends;
• a hinge plate disposed above said base and extending longitudinally between said first and second ends;
• a cam bar being slidably disposed within the channel and including an arm extending therefrom and being inserted within an aperture in the channel;
• a plurality of lower wedge elements connected to and slidable with the cam bar, each lower wedge element having a cam surface;
• a cam strip having a top surface in contact with the hinge plate, the cam strip having a plurality of upper wedge elements, each upper wedge element corresponding to a respective lower wedge element of the cam bar, each upper wedge element having a cam surface slidably in contact with the cam surface of the respective lower wedge element;
• a bending member pivotally attached to said hinge plate for bending a workpiece clamped between said hinge plate and said anvil;
• and
• a threaded rod coupled to the arm, wherein rotation of the threaded rod in one direction slides the cam bar within the channel thereby moving said hinge plate toward said anvil to clamp the workpiece therebetween.